Head of Customs and Freight

The Head of Customs & Freight is responsible for the strategic and operational leadership of all customs, bonded warehouse, and freight activities at Birmingham Bond. The role ensures full compliance with UK customs legislation
, efficient movement of goods, and robust governance of bonded and special procedures, while supporting commercial growth and operational excellence.

This is a senior, hands-on role combining technical customs expertise, people leadership, and stakeholder management
.

• Act as the senior customs subject matter expert for Birmingham Bond
• Ensure full compliance with HMRC regulations
  , including:
• Bonded Warehouse Authorisation
• Temporary Storage
• Customs Special Procedures (e.g. Customs Warehousing, Inward Processing, Outward Processing)
• Excise Bonded Warehousing experience

• Warehouse records and stock reconciliation
• Audit trails and document retention
• HMRC reporting and declarations
• Lead HMRC audits, inspections, and correspondence
• Own and update customs SOPs
  , compliance manuals, and training materials
• Monitor regulatory changes (UK & international) and assess business impact

• Provide strategic oversight of all bonded warehouse activities
• Ensure correct handling, storage, movement, and discharge of bonded goods
• Work closely with warehouse and operations teams to:
• Improve accuracy of inventory and declarations
• Maintain licence conditions and authorisations
• Drive continuous improvement in bonded processes and controls
• Oversee inbound and outbound freight operations (road, sea, air, and multimodal where applicable)
• Manage relationships with:
• Shipping lines
• Customs intermediaries
• Ensure customs and freight processes are aligned to meet service level agreements and customer expectations
• Support route optimisation, cost control, and performance monitoring

• Lead, mentor, and develop the customs and freight teams
• Ensure team competence through training, coaching, and performance management
• Build a strong compliance culture across the business
• Act as escalation point for complex customs or freight issues

• Support sales and customer onboarding by advising on:
• Customs solutions
• Bonded warehousing benefits
• Duty and VAT optimisation opportunities
• Contribute to business growth initiatives and new service development
• Assess feasibility of new customs authorisations or services

• Significant experience in UK customs operations
  , ideally within:
• Bonded warehousing
• Excise Bonded Warehousing
• 3PL or logistics environments
• In-depth knowledge of:
• HMRC bonded warehouse requirements
• Customs declarations and procedures
• Experience managing HMRC audits and compliance reviews
• Strong leadership and people management experience
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Experience as an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) lead or similar
• Familiarity with customs systems (e.g. CDS, inventory systems, WMS integrations)
• Experience supporting post‑Brexit customs operations

• Highly organised and detail-focused
• Commercially aware with a practical, solutions-driven mindset
• Strong ethical standards and commitment to compliance

• Senior leadership role within a growing bonded warehouse operation
• Opportunity to shape customs and freight strategy
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Long-term career development in a specialist customs environment